Unleash the Fury: Asus ROG Phone 9 with Snapdragon 8 Elite Speed Ahead of the Pack

The New Flagship from ASUS: First Impressions of the ROG Phone 9

I’m still reeling from the excitement of Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Summit in Maui, where the chipmaker unveiled its new flagship mobile processor, the Snapdragon 8 Elite. Myriam Joire, our resident tech expert, was on the scene to learn more about this revolutionary new chip and its impact on the mobile gaming scene. Here’s what she found out.

The excitement began when Xiaomi announced that its new 15 series flagship would ship with the Snapdragon 8 Elite later this month. Honor quickly followed suit, revealing that its Magic7 series handsets would also feature Qualcomm’s latest and greatest mobile processor, with a launch date of October 30.

ASUS, not to be left out, revealed its latest gaming powerhouse, the ROG Phone 9, which boasts the Snapdragon 8 Elite and a whole lot more. The company was eager to share its new flagship with us, and we got a sneak peek at its features and specs.

The ROG Phone 9 Looks a Lot Like the ROG Phone 8 Pro

Upon first glance, the ROG Phone 9 bears an uncanny resemblance to the ROG Phone 8 Pro, which we reviewed in January. The design is very similar, right down to the camera pod shape and port/button placement. The phone’s dimensions are also similar, but it feels lighter in the hand. Red accents on the back are a nice touch, and the redesigned dot-matrix LED display is now laid out horizontally when holding the phone in portrait orientation.

What’s New in the ROG Phone 9?

So, what’s new and improved in the ROG Phone 9? Well, under the hood, you’ll find the Snapdragon 8 Elite, which Qualcomm claims will deliver up to 40% better gaming performance, while also boasting better thermals and battery life. As for the rest of the specs, they should be mostly the same as the ROG Phone 8 Pro, with potential improvements, such as a brighter AMOLED display and a larger battery.

My ROG Phone 9 Specs Prediction: A Little Bit More

Based on my brief time with the ROG Phone 9, I predict that the specs will be mostly the same as the ROG Phone 8 Pro, with maybe a few tweaks. The cameras, for example, seem identical, and while an improved ultrawide shooter (with autofocus) would be nice, it’s not something I’m counting on. The AMOLED display might get a bump up in brightness, and the dual-cell battery might increase to 6000mAh, but that’s about it.

Overall Impression of the ROG Phone 9

Overall, I was impressed with the ROG Phone 9 during my brief time with it. It feels solid in the hand, is well-balanced, and has a refined design. Navigating the UI was a breeze, and the AMOLED screen was crystal clear, even in the intense Hawaiian sunlight.

With the Snapdragon 8 Elite under the hood, this phone is shaping up to be a gaming powerhouse when it arrives on November 19. Stay tuned for a full review when we’ll put the ROG Phone 9 through its paces.